Perfect Partners for Ornamental Grasses

Perfect partners

Choose plants that make your ornamental grasses shine in your garden. You might require some shorter grasses or other perennials to stair-step up to a tall grass. Perhaps a grass needs a bold backdrop so the plumes stand out. Here, a series of colorful perennials draw the eye to the grasses in the distance.

Click ahead to see some ideas from Midwest Living on getting the most out of your ornamental grasses.

Crown

'Hameln' , a dwarf fountaingrass, crowns a bed of white petunias and 'Purple Dome' aster. The bright white draws your eye to the base of the garden bed in contrast to the grass' crown of tan spikelets. The rust of sedum peeks through from behind the grass.

Backdrop

Frame

Draw the eye to the horizon by flanking a mass of grasses with a colorful patchwork of perennials. Black-eyed Susans, purple Russian sage and rust-color mums march the eye to the dramatic grouping of grasses.